Playing with Fire
by Cezium
Summary: Co-written with Pyro Bear. Two girls from an alternate universe try to bring a Slayer from a different dimension. What happens when they end up in Buffy's world instead?


Title - Playing with Fire  
Authors - Writer Chick and Melikochan  
Rating - PG13  
Description - Two girls from an alternate universe, trying to bring a Slayer from a different dimension. What happens when they end up in Buffy's world instead?  
Side Notes - Two asterisks (**) indicate where we switch writing.  
  
--------  
  
Dawn sat in the living room doing her homework; Anya and Xander were off being special friends. Buffy was patrolling and Willow was studying at the UC Sunnydale library. So Dawn was alone once again, but this time she didn't mind it, it was comforting to be alone once and a while. Besides, she had just gotten off the phone with Kit.  
  
Settling down, her backpack at her feet, she flipped the television on. Suddenly there was a loud noise and Dawn felt a sinking sensation in her stomach. Closing her eyes, she wished whatever was happening was just some kind of hallucination on her part. Upon opening her eyes, Dawn found smoke dispersing, leaving two teenagers in its wake.  
  
"Dude! That was so sweet!" the purple-haired one chuckled, as the other one glared.  
  
Taking off her glasses she cleaned them with the hem of her shirt. "No, it wasn't. Besides, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Toto."  
  
"You're no fun, Casey," the purple-haired one shrugged and stood up, brushing off her pants. "You know, this place sure does look like the house. I'm sure you're just over reacting, the spell probably backfired."  
  
The other stood up, her glasses in place. He skirts hung down, just brushing her ankles. "Melissa, it would sound as if you were right, except for one tiny thing, her!" Casey pointed to a startled Dawn.  
  
"Oh shit." Melissa ran a hand though her hair. "My spell definitely backfired."  
  
"Um yeah. Hi, who are you?" Dawn asked, still very perplexed.  
  
"She is Melissa and I am Casey," Casey answered. "Where are we exactly?"  
  
Dawn tried to swallow the lump that was forming in her throat. "Sunnydale, California."  
  
Casey shot an icy look to Melissa. "I told you it was a bad idea -- we're not at home anymore."  
  
Melissa smirked, "Where's your sense of adventure?"  
  
"I think I lost it the last time you tried this! If it wasn't for Mr. Giles and Mr. Harris, we'd be dead!" Casey snapped, glaring intently before she sat down in a nearby chair.  
  
While her friend was having a nervous break down, Melissa turned her attention towards Dawn. "You said this was Sunnyhell, right?"  
  
"Yeah," Dawn nodded in confirmation, surprised that the strange girl with purple hair had used Spike's endearing term for the town.  
  
"Can you tell me what year it is?" Melissa started to sound a bit nervous.  
  
"2002." Dawn's hand started to grope for the telephone. Buffy needed to know about this, and she needed to know about it now.  
  
"Can you tell me who the slayer is?" Melissa persisted.  
  
"Buffy." Dawn's hand wrapped around the phone.  
  
"Shit," Melissa drew out the work as she sank to the floor.  
  
Dawn looked from the phone in her hand to the two distraught girls that were in front of her and back again. Tossing the phone to her side she looked at the two girls. "Where the hell do you come from and what happened?"  
  
**  
  
Eyebrows furrowed, Melissa placed her hands upon her head. "Shit. Shit. Shit. Shi--" she stopped upon seeing Casey's warning glare.  
  
Looking back to Dawn, the calm one sighed. "It's a long, long story. To put it into short terms, we don't belong to this dimension."  
  
"It's should have worked. What went wrong?!" Frustrated, the girl drew her hand through silky purple locks. She paused as a realization hit her. Standing, she took a good look around. "This house looks exactly the same. What if we perhaps transported her here, not the opposite?"  
  
Dawn pointed to one of the pictures of her and Buffy together.  
  
"Damn. There goes that theory." Melissa crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
The Slayer's sister raised her hand in somewhat confusion. "Can one of you please explain to me just what is going on here?"  
  
Casey glanced to her somewhat worked up friend, adjusting her glasses. "I better handle this. Melissa seems to be a bit incoherent at the moment."  
  
Dawn smirked. The purple haired girl was currently chanting the word "shit" once more.  
  
Taking a seat on the couch, Casey started the story.  
  
-------  
  
"EEP!" The brunette screeched, ducking the vampire's wild swing. Coming up, she snapped out her foot, kicking the demon squarely in the jaw. It lurched backwards, off balance. Lunging forward, the seventeen-year-old Slayer drew out a stake from her jacket and plunged it right into the bloodsuckers heart. The vampire let out an anguished cry before turning to dust.  
  
Clapping erupted from behind her.  
  
"Well done, Tori! You're getting pretty good with this Slayer business." Melissa offered a large smile, running over to pat her friend on the back. Casey, expression bemused, trailed behind her.   
  
A fifteen-year-old boy grinned also, hands tucked into his pockets. He sauntered over, black hair swaying into his face. "Yeah, nice goin' Tors."   
  
The Slayer blushed, lips curling up slightly into a smile. "Thanks, guys. You've really helped me in the area of training, Noah. You're a great sparring partner."  
  
Noah shook his hair back, still keeping that grin. "No prob. You're way better than me, though."  
  
Someone cleared his throat behind them. A serious looking Giles stood there, peering down at them all. "You all seem to have enjoyed that. However, Tori, there were many faults in your attack. We must train you more. Slaying is a serious matter; it's not fun and games."  
  
Melissa snorted rather ungracefully. "What, do you have a stake shoved up your ass? Lay off of her. Tori's been training really hard lately."  
  
The Englishman glowered down at her. "If I might remind you all, the previous Slayer I was Watcher for was killed in this town four years ago."  
  
"Yeah, well that was her. Tori here has to be much better. I mean, just look at her! She's one monster killing machine," the teen, hair now it's original shade of red, placed a hand firmly onto her hip as she spoke.  
  
"She's no Buffy, nor will she ever be such if she continues on like this." He turned, striding off in the opposite direction.  
  
Nearly hissing, the girl flicked him off behind his back. "Ass..." She muttered, brushing stray strand of hair behind one ear.   
  
The Slayer hid her stake, looking at her Watcher nervously. "I...I better go after him..." Looking slightly worried, she ran off towards him.  
  
"Brilliant, Mel, just brilliant," Casey glared at her best friend.   
  
Melissa just gave her a dumbfounded look. "What?" she asked, shrugging her shoulders up. This comment rewarded a smack to the back of her head from Noah.   
  
-------  
  
"Giles, I'll try harder and train more. I promise." Tori looked up towards the tweaked Englishman, forehead creased with worry.  
  
Sighing, the Watcher moved his glasses up, rubbing his eyes. "No...it's not your fault, Tori. I'm just slightly...bugged, you could say. We've lost two Slayers within four years. First it was Buffy, then Cecile over in Europe. Things haven't been going too well lately."  
  
"I promise I'll try my hardest to live as long as I can and fulfill my duty. I'll kill as many vampires as I can and protect Sunnydale."  
  
The Watcher glanced down at her. "Good. You're very dedicated, I'll give you that. I'll have Xander help you with your martial arts tomorrow after school, before it gets too dark."  
  
Tori looked down. "I...I don't think Mr. Harris likes me all too much."  
  
"It's not that. He... He was a friend of Buffy, before she was killed by Spike. Seeing you reminds him of her." Giles awkwardly put a comforting hand upon her shoulder.  
  
Tori nodded, her eyes bleak. Things had taken a turn for the worse in Sunnydale. Vampires nearly ran the town. What was left of the human population lived in fear, wary to even go outside whenever it was close to dark. Only she and her friends dared it, and that was because they were the ones that fought them.   
  
It was so hopeless, though. Tori was only seventeen, a junior in high school. Casey and Melissa were both fourteen, and were only freshman. Though Melissa was intrigued and learning about magic, she was still inexperienced and young. Arrogance also conquered her. Noah was fifteen, the only sophomore of the group. He had been taking Judo since he was in kindergarten, but he didn't have supernatural strength. The only one who stood a fighting chance against the vampires was Tori.  
  
"So, did the others go home?" Giles asked.  
  
Tori halted, paling. "They're still back there..."  
  
A scream split through the air, and both the Slayer and her Watcher started running back in desperation.  
  
-------  
  
"Shh, you're making too much noise, little girl..." Smiling evilly, the red head sauntered towards the fallen Casey. Leaning over, she lifted her up, holding her tightly within her arms. "I like little girls..." She tilted the girl's head, bringing her face down towards Casey's exposed neck. The fourteen-year-old let out a terrified shriek as she felt the vampire's hot breath upon her skin.  
  
"Let her go, scum bag!" Melissa screamed, fighting against the arms that held her back. Gathered around them was a group of five vampires. Two of them were female, while the other three were all brawny males. One held Melissa, while the other two kept a steady grip upon the fighting Noah.  
  
One of the females, a well-dressed woman who looked to be in her early twenties, grinned. "Oh, how insulting. The little girl's upset. What's the matter?" She smirked, holding onto the girls chin. Growling, Melissa spit into her face.  
  
The vampire howled in rage, smacking the girl across her face. Four bloody marks were left where her perfectly trimmed nails had dug into her flesh. Melissa flinched, shutting up momentarily.  
  
"Now, now, Cordelia. Let's not scare them... We haven't played with them yet." The red headed vampire grinned sadistically, nuzzling Casey's neck.  
  
The vampire version of Cordelia scowled. "Oh Willow, must you always play with your food before you eat it?"  
  
There was a loud noise, and the two female vampires turned just in time to see one of the vampire's holding onto Noah turn to dust. Behind it stood Tori, livid with anger. Giles was right behind her, crossbow raised and pointed at the other demon restraining the boy. He let the stake loose, dusting his target. Noah sprang back, poised to fight right by Tori's side.  
  
Vampire Willow let out an amused laugh. "Oh, lookie here...more toys!" She grinned, pushing Casey away from her. The studious one fell forward, knocking into a tombstone and falling unconscious.  
  
"Willow, Cordelia, give up." Giles warned the two, eyes burning with pity, hatred, and sadness.  
  
"Ooh, it's Mr. Watcher/Librarian. Helping out your little Buffy wannabe, I see." Cordelia laughed, crossing her arms over her chest.  
  
The vampire still holding onto Melissa tightened its grip upon her, letting out a feral growl. The girl struggled fiercely, hitting back with her arms and trying to kick him.   
  
Giles reloaded the crossbow, holding it cocked and ready to fire, pointed at Willow's head. He let it loose, and it soared towards the twisted vamp. Bemused, the would be witch held up a hand, easily catching it right before it hit. She snapped it in half and tossed it to the ground.  
  
"Let my friends go," whispered Tori fiercely, brown eyes burning with rage. Muscles tight, she strode forward.   
  
Cordelia moved closer to Willow, wrapping her arms around her, who in turn traced her tongue over Cordelia's cheek. "Ooh, you're going to have to try doing something more than yelling at us..." The former fashion queen said, leaning her head on Vampire Willow's shoulder. Her eyes sparkled with some unknown emotion.  
  
"Done." Lunging forward, Tori pushed her fist out, hitting Cordelia square in the nose. She continued this with a left jab towards the center of her chest before pivoting and sending her foot into Willow.  
  
Cordelia shrieked in rage, holding her nose as she stumbled backwards. Willow growled, going after Tori after she regained her balance. She took a swing at the Slayer, who easily ducked and countered with a combo two-punch and a kick move, each of which hit Willow dead on. Cordelia charged at the high school student, and Tori pivoted to the side, bringing her knee up into her stomach as she went flying by her.   
  
Meanwhile, Giles and Noah had started trying to free Melissa. The male vampire threw the girl to the side, reaching out towards the nimble boy. Noah evaded his reach by dropping and rolling to the side, kicking out his leg towards the back of the vamp's kneecaps. It fell like a rock, and Giles staked it quickly. The two then went over to help the still bleeding girl up.   
  
Melissa winced, holding onto her shoulder in pain. "I... I think it's dislocated..." She hissed, struggling to stand. Noah literally dragged her up from her waist, letting her lean against him.   
  
Turning, the three saw Willow and Cordelia back off, hissing in anger. "We'll be back," Willow promised, dragging her lover and child with her as she ran off. Giles placed a hand upon Tori's shoulder to stop her from running off.  
  
"Let me go after them!" She shouted, fighting his grip. He kept his hand steady, staring into her eyes.  
  
"We've two injured, Tori. We must retreat for now."   
  
The Slayer wrenched herself from his grip, glaring daggers. "They hurt my friends. I must kill them."  
  
"Calm down, Tors. I'm...fine..." Melissa winced.  
  
A groan came from their right. Casey still lay crumpled in a heap.  
  
"Goddess, Casey!" The red headed witch-in-training stumbled over to her friend, dragging Noah with her.   
  
Eyes opening wide, Tori rushed to the girl's side. She pulled the unconscious girl up, holding her tightly.   
  
"We have to take both of them back to my place now. They need medical attention," the Watcher stated, eyes showing worry. Hurriedly, the group rushed towards where he had parked his car.  
  
--------  
  
Tori was visibly shaking while they waited in Giles' living room. She had gone back to her quick, nervous demeanor. Noah paced, fists clenched tightly.  
  
Sighing, Giles looked up from the semi conscious Casey. "She doesn't have a concussion, but this is going to be a large bruise." He had just finished bandaging her head.   
  
Melissa, who had been applying disinfectant to her scratches, put the blood cotton swabs down onto the tray and pulled out a giant Band-Aid. "So she's going to be all right?" The girl asked, nervousness obvious in her tight voice.  
  
Giles nodded.   
  
All three of the kids sighed with relief.   
  
Groaning, the Watcher rose and made his way over to Melissa. "Now, if your arm is really dislocated, we need to pop it back into place. Be warned -- this'll hurt." The witch in training braced herself as Giles held onto her arm, pushing it up and in. She let out a small scream, tears springing to her eyes.  
  
"There. You should be fine now."  
  
Melissa cut her cry short, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. She gave the arm an experimental roll, and nodded as it felt fine. "Thanks," she squeaked out.   
  
Giles nodded absently, finding a seat.   
  
Growling, the fifteen-year-old pounded his fist against the wall. "I can't believe that happened! We need help..."  
  
An idea flashed through Mel's head.  
  
-------  
  
"Are you sure about this, Mel? Last time we attempted anything like this we nearly died. If not for Mr. Harris and Mr. Giles, we'd be in a lot of trouble." Casey asked this nervously as Melissa lit the candles.   
  
The witch-in-training nodded. "Of course! I've figured out what needs to be done. Instead of calling upon dead Slayers, we try to bring a live one!"  
  
Tilting her head, Casey asked, "How do we do that? There's only one Slayer."  
  
"Alternate dimensions," answered the girl, (who had died her hair purple a few days previous and cut it to her chin) olive colored eyes twinkling. "It's quite simple, in fact," she offered a broad grin, drawing the pentacle upon the ground. The candles were placed at each point.  
  
"If you say so..." Muttered the now healed girl, shaking her head in disbelief.  
  
Melissa scowled, placing out her hands. Casey cupped hers above.  
  
"Ready?" Asked the exited witch.  
  
Casey nodded and gulped.  
  
-------  
  
"And, that's how we're here," finished up Casey, adjusting her glasses once more.  
  
Dawn had listened to all of this in near disbelief. "Buffy... Buffy died in your dimension?"  
  
Melissa, who had long since given up swearing to listen, nodded her affirmation. "Yup. I never got the chance to meet her. How do you know about the whole Slayer deal?"  
  
The Key looked to the side. "Buffy's...my older sister."  
  
"No shit." The purple haired girl arched an eyebrow.  
  
The sound of a door opening and slamming shut could be heard. From the other room, a voice shouted, "Dawn! I'm home!"  
  
"Speak of the devil..." Muttered Dawn, shaking her head. God, this'd be a lot to explain... 


End file.
